What would you do?

[DOC G.]

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I have been wondering what path I should go and was seeing if anybody could give me some advice.

The choices are:

1. 4 years to raise my overall and science to 3.0 ( to pass the intial "screening") and apply.

2. 2 years to raise it to 2.75 and then the biomedical (smp) route then apply.

The reason for the 4 and 2 years time line is because I will be working full time as well. I am only 24 as well.

Thanks.

 

[WHR]

1. 4 years to raise my overall and science to 3.0 ( to pass the intial "screening") and apply.

2. 2 years to raise it to 2.75 and then the biomedical (smp) route then apply.

I am not familiar with the smp route but from what i have read on SDN a GPA of 3.0 is very low for allo schools. Moreover, even if you pass this "initial screening", you haven't said anything about your EC, research, MCAT, LOR which need to be stellar to overcome your GPA. May be with more info will help other members to formulate their opinions/thoughts.

 

[RxnMan]

I have been wondering what path I should go and was seeing if anybody could give me some advice.

The choices are:

1. 4 years to raise my overall and science to 3.0 ( to pass the intial "screening") and apply.

2. 2 years to raise it to 2.75 and then the biomedical (smp) route then apply.

The reason for the 4 and 2 years time line is because I will be working full time as well. I am only 24 as well.

Thanks.

How did you arrive at these numbers/times? Did you run some estimated cumulative GPAs? I'm asking to see if you really need to spend four years to get to 3.0.

Keep posting, and we'll work through this.

 

[chilon09]

..........

 

[DOC G.]

Sorry for the lack of detail, I made an excel spreadsheet to do my GPA so I could figure out what I needed. So far I have only one LOR from a doctor I did an internship with; I just started at this new school so I have not asked anyone yet. EC: Volunteered in the ER, shadow dr's in family practice clinic, habitat for humanity, handbells, choir, orchestra, and intern at an ortho clinic. MCAT 290 (expires in 2 years, will retake to get that > 30). Right now I am working in a clinical lab as a certifying scientist full time.
I have considered DO and I like it.
Hopefully that will help.

 

[Perrotfish]

The SMP route takes a year, so timewise 2 years of school followed by a 1 year SMP would be the way to go. Honestly you might not even need the 2.75, if you get that 30 MCAT and depending on the program you're applying to. You might be able to apply to a lower tier SMP program, like VCU certificate or one of the DO SMPs, for next fall with your GPA as is. Those do have sorta high fail rates, though.

 

[RxnMan]

Sounds like you've got a low (< 2.5) GPA. Either way, take a step back. You're going to have to look at these options as a lot of continuous effort, and more than you've done up until now. You'll have to recognize that at the end of this grade remediation plan, you'll have to apply to a large number of places (30, 40, or more), which costs a lot. And then you may not succeed, and have to determine if you want to apply all over again.

If you're willing to take that risk, you could try doing both options, since you could apply for the SMP while doing the post-bacc. Doing a post-bacc all the way on the side will probably cost less in lost income (opportunity cost + tuition). If you can get into a reputable one (e.g. Georgetown) which is more likely to place you in a school, then the differential moves towards SMP.

 

[prionsRbad]

Sorry for the lack of detail, I made an excel spreadsheet to do my GPA so I could figure out what I needed. So far I have only one LOR from a doctor I did an internship with; I just started at this new school so I have not asked anyone yet. EC: Volunteered in the ER, shadow dr's in family practice clinic, habitat for humanity, handbells, choir, orchestra, and intern at an ortho clinic. MCAT 290 (expires in 2 years, will retake to get that > 30). Right now I am working in a clinical lab as a certifying scientist full time.
I have considered DO and I like it.
Hopefully that will help.

It all depends on your personal time line (do you want to start med school in the next couple of years?) and how much time and money you are willing to spend.

If you are interested in DO, you have a decent shot at getting in without having to go back to school for SMP or bostbac. Personally, I couldn't afford going back to school for another two years and decided to apply only DO this year. You know that DO schools have something called grade replacement, right? I had a 2.9 GPA for Allo schools and a 3.4 for Osteo because I retook all the classes I got a C or lower in.

Take your time and really decide what is best for you. It's a long process and it's better not to have to do it twice!

Good Luck

 

[Blade28]

Wait, it's going to take you 4 years to raise your GPA to a 3.0? What's your GPA now? 4 years of what, As, A-s and B+s?

 

[DrBubbles]

So, it sounds like you've got some great experience.

1) Many SMPs require a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to apply/be considered. There's a reason: because med schools don't like to consider undergraduate GPAs below 3.0. With an undergrad GPA of 3.0 and a graduate GPA of, say, a 3.8, you have a shot. But with an undergrad of 2.75, at an allopathic school, anyway, it's a long shot. If you are interested in DO, talk to an advisor--they might have some better news.

2) If you're serious about getting your GPA up, I would pull up the undergrad gpa. However, if you're serious about it, you have two options: work full-time and take one class at a time (at two classes you might burn out), or devote yourself to school full-time, raise those grades, and eat the costs in loans.

I think you can definitely do DO. If you want to pursue the MD, I think you can do that do, but I think you should talk to an adviser about it: make a five-year plan for work, school, MCAT, and personal time and goals (outside of medicine). The MD is going to take you more time to get to. If you can go back to school full-time for two or three years, make that your goal. Then, if you still want to become an even more competitive applicant, do an SMP. With your background, an above-3.0 undergrad GPA, a master's degree with hopefully a good gpa, and some more maturity on you by then (24 is great, but 28 makes you even more appealing to med schools), with a good MCAT, you'll be in. You'll be up to your ears in loans, but you can defer them all till you're done, and you might consider a military scholarship or National Health Service Corps.

Best of luck!

 

[Dr.Pdizzle]

I know a kid (white male) who had a 2.8 gpa, got a 29 on his mcat, and had the usual ECs (volunteer, clubs, etc.) and he got in to several DO med schools. So unless you're hellbent on going to an allopathic school, I think you could have favorable odds going the DO route and may want to consider applying.

 

[DOC G.]

Thanks so much! The only timeline I have is to get into med school (DO or MD) by the age of 30. This job is given me more maturity and better self confidence. The other good thing is with having a job when it comes time to apply I can apply to many many many many many schools!! Once again I appreciate all your time to help me.

 

[Meatwad]

Thanks so much! The only timeline I have is to get into med school (DO or MD) by the age of 30. This job is given me more maturity and better self confidence. The other good thing is with having a job when it comes time to apply I can apply to many many many many many schools!! Once again I appreciate all your time to help me.

If you PM me the following info I'll calculate the fastest way to get you a competitive GPA for either osteopathic or allopathic med school. I'll need the following info to give you a broad estimation:

1) How many credits you currently have completed
2) Your exact GPA
3) A list of every course you've ever received a D or F in; if there's only a couple, give me the courses you've received a C- in as well
4) If you want a moer thorough analysis, you can tell me how many credits are sciences and what the grades were in each science class

I have a feeling I could find a way to get you competitive (assuming you get ALL As from now on) for med schools in much shorter than 4 years. And no, I don't charge; this is free!

 

[DOC G.]

I appreciate everyones help! What I learned from these post is to basically get the GPA and science to 3.0 and MCAT above 30 and apply to a lot of DO and MD schools because everything else on my application is strong.

once again thank you everyone!

 

[Perrotfish]

) Many SMPs require a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to apply/be considered. There's a reason: because med schools don't like to consider undergraduate GPAs below 3.0. With an undergrad GPA of 3.0 and a graduate GPA of, say, a 3.8, you have a shot. But with an undergrad of 2.75, at an allopathic school, anyway, it's a long shot. If you are interested in DO, talk to an advisor--they might have some better news.

This flat out isn't true. The only hard an fast GPA requirements, out of all the SMPs I found, were a 3.0 for Loyola and a 2.75 for EVMS. All others 'recommended' a 3.0, but were willing to accept lower GPAs provided they had a high MCAT.

Also for SMP programs with a high linkage rates the OP would not need a '3.8' grad GPA. Generally he would just need to high pass his classes.

OP could be in medical school in 3 years if he went through EVMS/Rosalind franklin, and if he went through a DO SMP he might be able to start the SMP this fall and begin medical school in a little over a year. No reason not to apply, anyway.